Ferrule for fork-handles.



Patented Sept. I6, 1902.

JNVENTOJ fifi/l B 4 -6 G A MGKEEL FEBRULE FOR FORK HANDLES. {Application filed June 23, 1902.

\Nli

(No Model!) WITNESS 3 Uivrrs mares ATENT Genre".

enonen A. MOKEEL, on JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

FERRU LE FOR FORK-HANDLES SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No: 709,108, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed June 23, 1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. McKEEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ferrules for Fork- IIandles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ferrules for forkhandles, which are driven upon the end of the fork-handles and have straps extending upward along the handle for attaching said forrules thereto and to strengthen the said handle and the said ferrule. Heretofore the long strap-ferrules have been made from flat metal rounded tothe shape desired and the edges where they come together welded or brazed. This forms a longitudinal joint, which is seldom as strong as the remainder of the ferrule, and the ferrule very often spreads at the joint when the ferrule is strained in driving the handle thereinto or in use. The joint is also weakened by the process employed universally to remove a broken handle therefrom, whichconsistsin putting the ferrule in the fire and burning'out the portion remaining in the ferrule. This is the only method available by the average user, and no matter how carefully performed the brazed joint is not strong enough to withstand the strain arising from redriving the handle thereinto.

The objects of my improvement are, first, to produce a ferrule which shall be of the desired length without the longitudinal joint above mentioned or any joint which can be spread apart to injure the ferrule either by driving the handle thereinto or by heating in the removal of the handle; second, to provide a ferrule in parts that may be bought by the manufacturer in parts and be used without the straps, or thestraps may be put upon the handles when desired, the said parts being interchangeable; third, to providea ferrule having an outward-projecting shoulder upon the middle portion to retain the ferrule portion of the strap-ferrule thereon; fourth, to

provide a ferrule in which the straps are tapered at the same angle as the handle for a distance sufficient to permit the driving of the handle into said ferrule without spreading said straps; fifth, to provide a ferrule Serial No.112,'74=7. (No model.)

with an internal shoulder, against which a shoulder turned up on the handle may be driven to limit the distance the handle is driven therein; sixth, to provide aferrulehaving a double thickness at the portions where the greatest strain is exerted thereon by the handle, other objects being apparent from the following description and the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is an elevation of a fork having my improved ferrule thereupon. Fig. 2 is a detailof the parts of the said ferrule disassembled. Fig. 3 is a section view of the forrule shown in Fig. 1 on the line as y. Fig. 4: is a vertical section view of one form of the invention.

In the construction of ferrules for fork-haudles itis found that the ferrule having long strap extensions thereon is very desirable to strengthen the handle for certain kinds of work; butit has been heretofore found impossible to produce the long ferrules having straps out of a solid piece of metal, and therefore other methods havebeen employed, such as cutting a blank out of metal and forming it into the shape desired and brazing the joint where the edges come together. This construction makes a fair-appearing ferrule; but unless the joint is perfectly brazed the strain from driving the handle into the ferrule spreads the joint or at least starts the joint and it afterward parts. The brazing material also adheres to the interior and leaves no two the same internal diameter. Again, these ferrules are formed without a shoulder inside, the inner surface being tapered from one end to the other of the ferrule portion, and the handle is often driven farther into the ferrule than desired,and thus spreads the joint, because there is nothing to limit the distance that the handle is driven therein. Another difficulty arises from the fact that where the straps begin they are the same diameter or distance apart as the upper end of the ferrule portion and the handle being driven between them spreads them apart and tends to open the upper end of the said joint. There is also the further difliculty that when a handle has been broken the usual manner of removing the broken portion is to burn it out, and in this operation the brazingis softened enough to weaken the joint and permit it to spread when the bandle is again driven therein. In the construction of my said ferrule and fork-handleI have endeavored to overcome all of these objections, and to accomplish this result I have constructed my said ferrule with the ferrule portion 2 separate from the strap portion 1. The cap 3 is also a separate portion. By this construction the ferrule 2 may be formed from one piece of metal without joints and possesses greater strength, as far as I have been able to ascertain, than any other form of ferrule made. It may be of any desired length and designed for the present purpose of heavy material, as required, and tapered throughout its entire length, as shown. The upper end of the ferrule 2 is reinforced by a shoulder 10 for a purpose hereinafter described. The upper or strap portion is necessarily formed of light metal for the reason that heavy metal cannot be readily formed to the shape of the handle and produce the desired results. The strap portions 7 and Sare drawn out of a single piece of material, being part of the seamless ferrule 1. At the lower portions of the straps they are formed into a rounding shape to conform to the shape of the handle to be driven therein, and are also tapered upon the same taper as the lower portion of the said strap-ferrule 1. This permits the handle to be driven therein without unduly spreading said straps, as occurs with other ferrules in use where it is not possible in the process of the manufacture thereof to taper the straps at the portion 8.

The upper portions 7 of the straps are generally left flat until they are put upon the handleand are then rolled down to conform to the shape of said handle, and the vrivet or other means, as 6, is inserted therein to attach the said strap and the ferrule to the said handle. At the lower end of said part 1 the ferrule portion is formed with the same taper as the lower ferrule 2 and with the internal dimension to permit the insertion of the ferrule 2, the upper portion of said ferrule 2 being tapered to conform to the internal taper 9 of the upper portion 1 to form a tight fit and prevent disengagement. The lower portion 3 may be formed of any suitable material in the shape of a cup with the slot therein, as shown, to permit the driving of the fork therein, and the said cap 3- is driven over the lower extremity of the ferrule 2, as shown in Fig. 1. By this construction it will be seen that the portion 2 may be made of as heavy material as desired to secure the proper strength and is not limited to such a thickness as can be employed for the formation of the straps only, which must necessarily be thin, as is the case where the ferrules are all made from one piece. It will also be seen that there is no longitudinal joint of any kind to spread open. At the bottom I of ferrules.

end of said ferrule 2 and at the upper end thereof, where the greatest strain comes from the driving therein of the handle and fork, the metal is doubled, thus forming a doubled ferrule or thickness at the extremities, where it must break, if at any point, and thus making it doubly strong. It will further be seen that if the ferrule is put into the fire to burn out a broken handle there is no joint to be weakened by the heat, as with other forms It will further be seen that the handle must be formed with a shoulder to fit the internal surface of the ferrule at the upper end of ferrule 2, and when driven until the said shoulder upon the handle is in contact with the said ferrule 2 the further driving of the said handle is limited. The said shoulder upon said handle also makes the joint and connection between said handle and ferrule more rigid by reason of the contact with the said shoulder upon said handle with the upper end of said ferrule 2, thus preventing any play or side motion. It will further be seen that the three parts forming said ferrule may be made of different lengths and may be made interchangeable, and thus the manufacturer may in the assembling thereof produce any ferrules of any desired lengths required. Fig. 4 shows another form of my invention. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following, viz:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a handle and a fork driven thereinto, of a strap-ferrule, composed of a tapered ferrule, a second tapered ferrule, having strap extensions thereon, the lower portion thereof being driven over the upper end of said first-named ferrule, and a third cupshaped ferrule having a slot therein, driven over the lower end of said first-named ferrule, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fork-handle and a fork driven thereinto, of a strap-ferrule, composed of a tapered ferrule having an enlargement at its upper end, and driven into a second ferrule, correspondingly reduced at its lower end, and having strap extensions at its upper end, and a slotted cup-shaped ferrule driven over the lower end of said first-named ferrule, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fork-handle and a fork driven therein, of a strap-ferrule upon the end of said handle composed of a main ferrule, a second ferrule driven upon the upper end of said first-named ferrule, forming a double thickness at the upper end of said first-named ferrule, said second ferrule having strap extensions for attaching the ferrule to the handle, and a third ferrule formed in the shape of a cup, with a slot in the end thereof, as shown and driven upon the lower end of said first-named ferrule, forming a double thickness at the lower end of said first-named ferrule, substantially as shown, and for the purposes described.

4;. In a device of the class described, the combination with a strap-ferrule, composed of a tapered ferrule, and a second tapered ferrule having strap extensions thereon, and adapted to be driven upon the upper end of said first-named ferrule forming a double thickness of ferrule at the upper end thereof, and also forming a shoulder against which the shoulder upon the handle will rest, of a bandle having the end turned and tapered to fit the internal surface of said first-named ferrule,the portion adjacent thereto being turned to fit the second-named ferrule, with a shoulder between said two portions to coincide with the shoulder formed at the upper end of said first-named ferrule.

5. As a new articleof manufacture, a strap ferrule, composed of a tapered ferrule, having an enlargement at the upper end, a second ferrule having strap extensions at its upper end, and its lower end tapered and shaped to conform to the contour of the upper end of said first-named ferrule,.and a cup-shaped slotted cap over the lower end of said firstnamed ferrule.

.6. As a new article of manufacture, a long tapered strap-ferrule, for fork-handles, composed of a thick tapered ferrule having an enlargement at its upper end, and a long strapferrule tapered to conform to the contour of the upper end of said first-named ferrule, and adapted to be driven thereon forming an extra-long seamless tapered strap-ferrule,

end engaging with the inwardly-projectingextension on the outer ferrule, and an outer strap-ferrule having an inwardly-extending projection at its lower end engaging the extension on said inner ferrule, and preventing said inner ferrule from becoming disengaged from said outer ferrule, said outer ferrule being tapered to conform approximately to the taper of said inner ferrule, and said two ferrules forming a double thickness of ferrule at the portion requiring the greateststrength therein, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tool having a shank, of a cupshaped member adapted to embrace the tool and its shank, a handle adapted to receive said shank, a ferrule mounted upon the lower end of the handle and adapted to rest within said cup-shaped member, and a second ferrule mounted uponthe handle and adapted to embracethe upper end of the firstmentioned ferrule.

Signed at Jackson, Michigan, this 12th day of June, 1902.

GEORGE A. MCKEEL. Witnesses:

WILLIAM SPARKS,

CHESTER W. BROWN. 

